anyone seen a pH this low?

Hi just wondering if anyone here has seen someone with this low of a venous pH and still be alive? Venous pH 6.662 and HCO3 2.6!! I felt like I was chansing my tail trying to stop the downward trend, was able to get the pt up to the unit, but don't know how they did. Just wondering because I was shocked and amazed by these numbers.

Seen it that low one 1 ICU patient but he didn't survive Not sure that it's compatible with life really

Feb 27, '09

At that point, most medications won't absorb in that acidic environment. The lowest I've personally seen has been a pH of 7.01.

Mar 13, '09

I have seen that same number but I think it's 6.65 to be exact. I think it's compatible for life in a while until your body goes into shutdown. A had that patient in respiratory arrest after my shift. If it wasn't for my religious administration of Mesna to loosen secretion in her trache tube, I wouldn't have passed the patient to my colleague fot the next shift. Another factor would be the way the blood was extracted.

Sep 13, '09

A pt. had 6.5x this last spring. A few years back we had one with 6.5x and he pulled through. In our ICU this week we had pH6.98; CO2 8; HCO3 2 and the pt. was able to pull through with only bicarb and fluid. did not need to be vented.

Sep 19, '09

Pt in ICU 6.9 and beginning to turn slightly blue......

Sep 22, '09

Yep. Had Ph<7 multiple times. Usually end up on q1h gasses with titrated THAM.